WOODBORING INSECTS

Most woodborers are beetles that cause damage to logs, timbers and processed wood or woodproducts. It is usually the immature stages of wood boring insects that live within the wood and cause the damage, although, in some insects it is the adult parent that burrows into the wood, while the immature stages just live inside the galleries feeding on fungi or food provided by the parent.

The adult beetle lives outside the wood but it lays eggs in the wood. In this particular case it is that immature larva which hatches from the eggs that burrows into the wood and causes damage as per seen at the cabinet of the abovesaid premise. As it feeds on the wood it grows larger shedding its skin several times.

Eventually it becomes a Pupa a dormant stage in which the adult beetle is formed. The adult emerges from the wood through an exit hole prepared by the larva or made by the emerging adult beetle itself. Outside the wood the adult beetles mate and reproduce again.

As for this particular case the pinholes and shothole borers are also known as “ambrosia beetles”because they do not feed on the wood like termites but rather burrow into the wood to construct galleries where they culture fungi (the so called ambrosia) on which they raise their larvae. As a result there are usually signs of fungi induced staining or discolouratiin around the holes..which is more apparent in lighter coloured timber.

Section of small pole showing ambrosia beetle tunnels.

Conclusion

The woodboring insect infestation does not come overnight. Upon injection of eggs by the adult beetle in the jungle itself. The eggs may hatch within the right room temperature and created the larvae that tunnels their way through in order to culture fungi to raise their larvae.( They do not feed on the wood..unlike termites )

* It shall not migrate or cause any infestation to other furnitures (or to any fixtures and fittings of the premise) unless until and otherwise being injected by the adult beetle at the same source log in the jungle itself.

Treatment

To have a proper control at every 2 months treatment is essential to monitor the successful of the programme proposed. The method of controlling involves direct injection of pesticides into the tiny holes created by the larvae and residual spraying onto the surface of affected wood.